I’ve begun playing in two different softball leagues, both co-ed…one is on Friday nights and the other is Sunday nights. The Friday team is a bit more competitive (and actually wins), whilst the Sunday team is only so-so. We actually were winning last Sunday, before one of the girls playing third base got knocked out cold with an (at least 60-mph) throw from her boyfriend at first. She literally went limp, twirled in a circle, and hit the ground just like in the movies. And then there was the blood gushing out of her mouth. And I saw all this from my vantage point at second. *shudders remembering* It turns out the ball broke her front tooth, right at the root, and they just have to wait for it to die before she gets a fake tooth. Now I’m scared to death that I’m going to get smacked in the face…and very glad that I play mostly outfield….unlike everyone else, I don’t have dental insurance and the cost of those dental bills scare the crap out of me. I know I can handle the pain…

Now fast-forward to Friday night. It was my first time playing with this particular team, and I sort of got lost on the way and was already late, so I didn’t get a chance to warm up. The first time I was up to bat, I broke into a sprint on my way to first and immediately felt a twinge of pain in BOTH my quadriceps. They were tight the rest of the game, and I still played since we were short girls…although I probably should have sat out.

But, I did hit a double! In slow pitch league! Woohoo! I was totally stoked about my hitting last week…I got some great hits. Apparently I still have a knack for that. My throwing, and in particular my aim, on the other hand, still has much to be desired. My main problem is that I don’t have anyone to practice playing catch with during the week.

So after pulling my quadriceps, I woke up Saturday morning feeling sore, but not the limping, I can barely walk pain like the night before. I decided to go ahead and hike Mt. Humphreys in Flagstaff (aka Snowbowl) with my friends as planned. Probably not the smartest move. This was a 10.25 mile hike, with a 3352-ft elevation gain. No small potatoes. And it was FREEZING COLD. It even snowed on us.

So from the second we started climbing, my legs were SCREAMING with each step I took. It took all my effort to push myself forward. I was literally biting my lip and fighting back tears several times…and just getting angrier and angrier at my stupid body. All along, I thought it was just my fibromyalgia and the cold working against me. I mean, I’ve had to turn around on several hikes that I’ve done effortlessly in the past, because my fibro was flaring too badly. And with a mental image of me practically running up this very same mountain years before, I was not going to turn around so easily. Sheer determination and stubbornness (and a handful of Aleve) was pretty much the only thing that got me to the top. I really didn’t make it to the actual peak, but I did make it to the last false peak, and could see the rest of my group at the actual peak. I maybe had 25 minutes more to go. (Not bad, considering the total hike was 7 hrs, 36 mins — including 2 hours of total resting time). I had split off from them early in the hike, since there was no way I could complete the hike at their pace, and I wanted to try and still make it, just in a much slower, less painful manner. Many baby stops were involved. But they couldn’t wait for me at the top, since we had gotten a late start, we didn’t have much light left, and ominous dark clouds were rolling in. Plus it was snowing and freezing cold, and we just wanted to climb back down below treeline as quickly as possible so we could be sheltered from that stinging wind.

Like I said, the whole time I was pretty much numb from cold, and I just thought my fibro was acting up. But now, I’m pretty sure it was the pulled muscles too. That was just too much damn pain. Was I really crazy enough to hike to the top of a 12,635 ft mountain with two pulled quads?!?! Geez.

So, today, I played softball again, and the pain came back while running the bases…not as severe as Friday, but still definitely a pulled sensation.

I’m beginning to think this isn’t a minor strain. I can still lift and do my cardio at the gym without feeling the pull…it’s only when I ascend stairs (or mountains), or sprint that I feel the pain. The kind of pain that makes me want to cry. This isn’t just my fibromyalgia (and yes, sometimes it’s extremely hard to tell the difference…)I’m just wondering if I should go see the doctor now? With all my muscle problems as it is, I don’t want to have more chronic pain than necessary…and apparently untreated quad injuries can lead to permanent scar tissue with chronic pain. Oh the joys of getting old.

One Response to “Pulled Quadriceps”

I dont like the sound of that. Feel better heather. I pulled my quads as well and they are slowly healing. Make sure to do some good stretching and if they dont get better in a week or so I would see a doctor.